The Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), 1998-39, stipulates that any person damaging coral is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of BBD$300.00 (approximately US$148.50) for every square meter of coral reef damaged, imprisonment for five years, or both. There is a standard procedure to determine extent of damage to the coral reef area; the extent is usually spatial (length by width), but in some cases the depth of damage is also considered. This is mainly focused on anchor damage from dragging or chain sweep once a report has been made to the office. The damage is then costed using the areal extent and the fine set forth in the CZMA. This means of valuing coral reef damage informs all processes of assessing compensation (including out-of-court settlements)
The CZMA also provides that any person who breaks off a piece of coral from a reef is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of BBD$5,000.00 (approximately US$2,475), imprisonment for two years, or both. This fine is applied to persons caught “picking” corals for sale. As a practical matter, these cases can be difficult as it is necessary to capture the individual with the corals in their boat while in the process of harvesting.
For more information, contact Dr. Leo Brewster (director@coastal.gov.bb) or Dr. Lorna Innis (linnis@coastal.gov.bb) in the Coastal Zone Management Unit of the Ministry of Housing, Lands and the Environment.